With the appointment of senior Congress leader Gulam Nabi Azad as the new general secretary in-charge of Uttar Pradesh, many heads are set to roll in Uttar Pradesh as party leadership has decided to take tough stand after Rajya Sabha and council polls.
Azad, who was the party's observer in the UP polls, was appointed as in-charge by the party replacing Madhusudan Mistri. This is second time Azad has been given the responsibility as the in-charge of the party country's largest state.
“Now all eyes will be on change of guards in the state president and the legislature party leader as party is ready to give a new look to the UP Congress,” a senior party leader told The Pioneer here on Sunday.
"In the race for the state president there are names like Sanjay Singh, Jitin Prasada, Rajesh Mishra and Akhilesh Pratap Singh while for the legislature party leader the name of Anugurah Narain Singh and Pankaj Mallick were in the race," the leader said.
Presently Nirmal Khatri is the state president while Pradeep Mathur is the legislature party leader in UP.
Sources say that Prashant Kishore has proposed easing out all senior leaders of the party and give the reign to the new faces. There is a belief in the party that some senior leaders were trying to create obstacle in the working of PK.
There is believed to be disquiet in the legislature party as sources reveal that in recent meeting hot words were exchanged between Madhusudan Mistri and some legislators.
“The party needs complete overhauling and appointment of Azad was a step in this direction. This step was important after the some of the party legislators cross voted in Rajya Sabha and Council elections,” the leader said
Congress though had won the one seat each in the council and Rajya Sabha polls in UP, but the overall performance was not up to the mark as around 5 legislators defied the whip and voted in favour of the candidates of other political parties.